Mia Mendez
USDOT Great Lakes Region SBTRC Director
Mia Sara Mendez currently serves as the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Great Lakes Region Director of the Small Business Transportation Resource Center (SBTRC) at the Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (IHCC).
Her role is to assist DBE firms scale their business so that they can win federal contracting opportunities. She hosts a Bonding Education Program in collaboration with the respective DOTs in the Great Lakes region and empowers women in the Transportation Industry through the Women and Girls in Transportation Initiative (WITI).
Previously, she was the Program Manager for the Tollway Technical Assistance Program. In that role, she educated, trained, and prepared small and diverse firms to compete for opportunities on the Tollway system.
Mia received her undergraduate degree from Dominican University. During her undergrad, she was an executive board member and president of the Organization of Latin American students. She has alway been passionate about empowering the Hispanic community. Her five-plus years of client relations experience has fueled her passion for helping others.
Mia’s hobbies include staying active through spin classes and weight training, exploring new coffee shops, and watching the latest runway shows.